FIG. 1 depicts a side view of a conventional magnetic recording head 1 used in recording to and reading from a media (not shown). The conventional magnetic recording head 1 may be a perpendicular magnetic recording (PMR) head or a longitudinal magnetic recording head. The conventional head 1 includes a conventional read transducer 2 and a conventional write transducer 10. The conventional read transducer 2 includes shields 4 and 8 and read sensor 6. The conventional write transducer 10 includes a conventional first pole (P1) 12, a first coil 14, conventional auxiliary pole 16, a conventional main pole 18, conventional write gap 20, a conventional second coil 22, and shield 24. The conventional poles 12, 16, and 18 are typically formed of high saturation magnetization, soft magnetic alloys, such as NiFe, CoNiFe, CoFe, and CoFeN. Such high saturation magnetization, soft magnetic alloys are used in order to ensure that sufficient magnetic field is developed to write to the media. The conventional shields 4, 8, and 24 are also typically formed of such magnetic materials. Although the conventional write transducer 10 is depicted with two coils 14 and 22, a single coil may also be used.
In order to write data to a media, the coils 14 and 22 are energized. Consequently, the main pole 18 is magnetized and the media written by flux from the tip of the main pole 18, residing near the air-bearing surface (ABS). Based on the direction of current through the coils 14 and 22, the direction of magnetic flux through the main pole 18 changes. Thus, bits having opposing magnetization can be written and the desired data stored on the media. When the conventional 10 transducer 10 is not writing, no current is driven through the coils 14 and 22.
Although the conventional magnetic recording head 1 functions, the conventional head 1 is desired to be used at higher data rates, for example at two Gbit/second or higher. In such applications, various issues arise. For example, the magnetic recording transducer 10 may have a slower response than desired. In addition, heating of the components of the conventional write transducer 10 may result in increased thermo-mechanical stress in the head. Thermal pole tip protrusion, in which the tip of the conventional main pole 18 protrudes from the ABS, also occurs. Thermal pole tip protrusion may adversely affect reliability of the conventional write transducer 10. Further, the temperature of the read sensor 6 may be increased, which is undesirable.
Accordingly, what is needed is a system and method for improving the high frequency performance of a magnetic recording head.